1974 Greek parliamentary election

Held on November 17, 1974, months after the colonels' junta fell, this was Greece's first election since the military rule of 1967 to 1974. Konstantinos Karamanlis led his newly formed New Democracy to 54 percent and 220 of 300 seats. The speed is the lesson. Rather than let the old question of the crown fester, the new government put it to a referendum on December 8, and 69.2 percent chose a republic. Settling the form of the state by vote, weeks after the election, removed a quarrel that had divided Greek politics for generations and let the new democracy start without it.